OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of lipopolysaccharide(LPS) on the expression and activity of Toll-like receptor 4(TLR-4) in mesenchymal stem cells (MSC).

METHODSMSCs were harvested from adult rats bone marrow cells by density gradient centrifugation and adhesive culture. The purity of MSC were identified with the cell morphology and osteogenic capacity. The phenotypes were assayed by flow cytometry. Cultured MSCs were treated by LPS with various concentration (1 microg/ml, 10 microg/ml or 100 microg/ml) for 24 hours. The relative expression levels of TLR-4 mRNA were detected by semiquantitative RT-PCR, and costimulatory molecules (CD80, CD86 and MHC-II) expressed on MSC were analyzed by flow cytometry. The levels of TNF-alpha in supernatants were determined by double-antibody sandwich ELISA.

RESULTSThe expression levels of CD80, CD86, MHC-II, TLR-4 mRNA and TNF-alpha in MSC were (9.56 +/- 0.69)%, (22.03 +/- 2.03)%, (2.51 +/- 0.97)%, relative magnitude (0.61 +/- 0.10), (4.97 +/- 2.98) pg/ml, respectively. After incubation with LPS, MSC expressed higher levels of TLR-4 mRNA and costimulatory molecules, and the levels of TNF-alpha were higher than that in untreated group. Among the various concentration of LPS, 10 microg/ml emerged as the most effective in increasing the levels of TLR-4 mRNA (relative magnitude 1.55 +/- 0.02), costimulatory molecules [CD80 (41.70 +/- 2.92)%, CD86 (59.72 +/- 2.00)%, MHC-II (24.56 +/- 2.19)%] and TNF-alpha [(213.12 +/- 69.08) pg/ml] (P < 0.01). The levels of TLR-4 mRNA, costimulatory molecules and TNF-alpha began to decrease when MSC exposed to 100 microg/ml LPS (P < 0.05). Except for the levels of TNF-alpha [(158.05 +/- 28. 05) pg/ml] and MHC-II [(5.62 +/- 2.31)%] (P > 0.05), the levels of CD80, CD86, MHC-II and TLR-4 mRNA were significantly lower than the 10 microg/ml treatment group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONMSCs are able to express TLR-4 mRNA. LPS could activate the expression of TLR-4 in MSC obviously, but the activity is dependent on the specific concentration.